Saturday, April 26, 2008

Fairy Nudity

Here is a sketch I did yesterday. The colors make me think of a 70's rock poster.

I have noticed lately that when I don't color things several of the comments tend to be "but what about the color?" Initially I found it odd (why does everything need color to be considered finished?), but then I realized I've made similar comments on other people's blogs. I'm guilty of really loving color too, and quite honestly, if I had the time, I'd love to fully paint and render everything I draw. I wonder what the universal appeal of a fully fleshed out painting is compared to a simple line drawing?

Here also is a recent design I've done for the graphic novel. I'll post more novel stuff in the coming months as I complete the final art for the opening sequences. For this street scape, I wanted to develop a "language" of repeating shapes and architectural details that would help identify the city every time the story brings us here. I want all my major locations to have a different sets of dominant shapes/details that will express the prevailing attitude of the place. This city, for instance, should feel cramped, elegant and not entirely welcoming. There is a character who has great influence over this place and it's important for his personality to be evident throughout.

Edit*

I reread this post and wanted to add to/clarify my color musings;

Many people love both line drawings and full color work. However, I have noticed that the general trend in art appreciation leans more strongly towards color work than line work and I wonder why that is.

This is something I have noticed when selling artwork (prints of paintings always sell better than prints of line work), also whenever designing professionally (fancily colored designs always get a better response from the studio folk than sketches) and on blogs.

I actually enjoy both equally well...often the roughs and linework is more visually interesting and I like seeing the process much more than the finished result. This is typically because people often feel color is the answer to all design problems while trying to hide weak designs or layouts. Your work however seems strong and color is an additive not a cheap cover.

Pencils, sketches and b&w work are always really cool in their own right. (Especially when they reveal a little bit of the artist's process.) I think though, that sometimes a pencil sketch is so amazing that it is clear that the artist had a unique vision. And while we can imagine it with color, or appreciate it without, we want to see what else is going on in the artist's head. I don't think anyone intends it as an insult, ie: Finish your work, you lazy bum! I think it is more of a child-like fascination of Show Me More!

i believe it's because people will usually gravitate towards something that imitates reality, or at least take it more seriously. by that i don't mean that it has to be realistic, but our sensibilities, i think, like work where the entire space of the pieces dimensions are covered. it just sets up the illusion of space and dimension better, if not at least mood and ambiance, probably because it doesn't give your eye an option to avoid the work within the painting like solid white space can. if you're of the school of thought that emotional stimulation is the only thing art really can or does do when it's really boiled down, then something's always going to feel like it has more to say when it's solid, and not just lines. not better, just more :). pair that with the fact that line work is further removed from reality (because we don't engage 'lines' in real life) and you've got my guess at an answer.

that's my thought. being at art school, as you i'm sure remember, stimulates these sort of questions all the time, so i couldn't help but excitedly tossing in my two cents.

oh, and by the way, i'm that guy who's comic you critted last november-ish. thanks again for that! i'm really charged about buying the next flight, and maybe might ask for your help next year if i come across a particularly daunting concept or storyboarding assignment, if you are so kind to oblidge :)

You're right about people being drawn to color. I remember in character design class the designs that made it on the "good" wall (judged by the students) had a better chance of getting there if it was colored, in spite of the design. Maybe color is like candy for the eyes.

Yes, color has an more immediate "charme" than line, so the layman loves paintings more than drawings.And, generally speaking, a decent color painting is pleasant enough, while a drawing has to be really good to catch the eye. But your drawings are absolutely superb, so it's not your case.

you, like most people, are drawn to color because it can bring to a line definition and life.However there are times when a simple line; if drawn in the right way; can hold its own life against the white of paper.

It seems for me to be all in the sketching technique. Which yours holds much to its own.

I always wondered about color vs b/w linework as well... I think it's because people enjoy how you color your pieces so they're curious as to what the line drawing would look like with color/what colors you'd choose etc. It's like it hasn't yet reached the 'point of no return' if it's fully rendered with lights, shadows, 'n whatnot. Maybe that doesn't make sense hehehehe

Personally, my eyes are more drawn to color work, but I am more fascinated with line work. I tend to stare at really good line art for much longer than colored pieces. I also tend to prefer sketches to finished pieces because I like seeing the remains of the artistic process.